Combined gas generator, burner, and illuminating appliance



' Aug. 19, 1930. J, E, EVANS 1,773,132

COMBINED GAS GENERATOR, BURNER, AND ILLUMINATING APPLIANCE Filed Nov. 9, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 10 g- 33 nnn /nnn nnnnnnnnnun Z 1/ VE/V 70/8 J2 I Jme .512 .Z'UW.

J. E. EVANS 1,773,132

COMBINED GAS GENERATOR, BURNER, AND ILLUMINATING APPLIANCE Aug. 19, 1930.

Filed Nov. 9, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 Ida/ad.

Patented Aug. 19, 1930 JAMES E. EVANS, OF ROSCOE, CALIFORNIA COMBINED GAS GENERATOR, BURNER, AND ILLUMINATING APPLIANCE Application filed November My invention'relates to a combined gas generator, burner and illuminating apph- 1 r 1 ance that is espec1ally designed .LOI' household and domestic purposes, and the principal objects of my invention are to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existing forms of gas generators and burners; further to provide an apparatus of the character referred to that may be employed singly in multiple or in series and further to provide a combustion gas generator, burner and illuminating appliance that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, and which maybe advantageously and economically employed wherever it is desired to generate gas from liquid hydrocarbon and to burn said gas for heating or illuminating purposes.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a gas generator, combination burner and illuminating appliance of the character referred to that may be conveniently and economically employed in practically all forms of stoves and furnaces or in household water heaters, to provide simple and eilicient means for e'decting an accurate regulation and control of the burner in both its generating and burning functions, and further to provide for the superheating of the gas or a portion thereof that is generated in the device, and which superheated gas may be conveyed through suitable pipes or ducts to the point of combustion, either a heating or an illuminating appliance.

A further obj ect of my invention is to provide a combination gas generator, burner and illuminating appliance that is especially adapted for generating gas from kerosene, distillate or other relatively light liquid hydrocarbons, and the construction of the generator and burner being such as to entirely eliminate the forming of free carbon or other undesirable residue, which very frequently results where liquid hydrocarbons'are converted into gaseous fuel.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will hereinafter be more fully de a, 1327. Serial No. 232,033.

scribed and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is a top plan view of a gas generator and burner constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the gen erator.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section approximately on the line 3 of Fig.

Fig. 4- is an enlarged cross section approximately on the line i-i of Fig.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of amodilied orm aken of the burner'wherein two gas gencratin r torts are utilized, and which'form of burns may be used tor producing superheated gas that may be taken off throu h suitable pipes and utilized for heating or illuminating purposes. l

' Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the modified form of generatorand burner illustrated in Fig. 5 with portions broken away and in section.

F ig. 7 is a cross section taken through the fire box of a stove and showing my improved generator and burner positioned therein.

Fig. 8 is avertical section taken through an ordinary form of household water heater and showing the generator and'burner positioned therein.

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view of the body of the generator and burner that is utilized in water heaters. I

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings and particularly to the form of burner illustrated in Figs. li inclusive, 1O designates the body of the burner, which body is preferably cast from metal and in the form of an elongated hollow body that comprises a vertically disposed side wall 11, a horizontally disposed bottom wall or plate 12 and a curved top and side wall 13 that extends from the top of side wall 11 to the edge of the bottom wall or' plate 12. This hollow body functions as the burner and where the device is used in vcs, furnaces and the like the curved top and side wall 13 is provided with a series'oi tr nsversely arranged narrow slots 14 tl 1 which the gaseous fuel passes to the of o1nbustion.

One end of this burner body is provided with an integral depending foot 15 and projecting upwardly from this end of the body adjacent to the vertical side wall 11 is a bracket 16 having an opening for the reception of a tube 17, which latter functions as a gas generating retort. A set screw 18 asses through the upper portion of the brac ret 16 and serves to lock the retort tube 17 to the burner body.

Formed integral with the body 10 opposite the end having the foot 15 is one end of a goose neck or re-bent tubular member 19, the upper outer portion of which projects inwardly toward the body of the burner, said inwardly projecting end being open and provided at its sides with horizontally disposed V-shaped notches 19 which function to permit air to readily enter the goose neck member 19 as the gas from the retort discharges thereinto.

The upper outer portion of the goose neck 19 is provided with an opening 20 that is disposed directly opposite or in line with the open end of said goose neck and a gas conveying tube may be connected to this opening for the purpose of conveying gas to the burner of a heating or illuminating appliance.

When the gas conveying pipe is disconnected from the outlet opening 20'the latter is closed by a plug 21. Formed integral with and depending from the lower portion of goose neck 19 is a web or plate 22 that functions as a foot and which combines with the foot 15 in supporting the generator and burner in a substantially horizontal position.

Detachably applied to the end of the body 7 10 adjacent to the goose neck is a vertically disposed plate 23 in the upper portion of which is an opening that receives the correspending end of the tubular retort 17.

Screw seated in the end of the tubular retort 17 adjacent to the open end of the goose neck is a short tubular member 24having an inner portion 25 that is reduced in diameter, and this tubular member functions as a combined gas outlet valve and a jet nozzle. I Formed in the outer end of this tubular member is a tapered opening 26 that functions as a jet orifice to permit gas that is generated in the retort to discharge directly into the open end of the goose neck 19 and formed in the reduced inner portion 25 of the tubular member are two or more slots or apertures 27.

That portion of the reduced inner end of the tubular member inwardly from the slots 27 is internally threaded for the reception of the threaded portion 28 of a rod 29 that passes axially through the tubular retort 17,

and the forward end of said rod 29 is tapered to form a needle valve 30 that engages in the tapered orifice 26 and controls the discharge of therethrough.

e rear end of retort tube 17 is provided with a tubular fitting 31 to which is connected a pipe or duct 32 that leads from a suitable source of liquid hydrocarbon supply and the outer end of the fitting 31 is provided with a gland or stufling box 33 through which rod 29 passes and the outer end of said rod is provided with a suitable handle 34.

In order to enable gas to be taken from the burner through suitable tubes or ducts to heating or illuminating appliances the vertical side wall 11 and the end wall opposite the end that is provided with the goose neck 19 may be provided with openings such as 35, and which are normally closed by screw plugs such as 36.

By providing the openings 20 and 35 it is possible to take gas generated in the device and conductthe same through suitable pipes to different points of use either adjacent to or remote from the generator and burner.

In the operation of my improved generator and burner, liquid hydrocarbon such as kerosene, distillate or the like is permitted to enter the retort tube 17 from supply pipe 32,

said retort tube having been previously' heated by means of a torch or other suitable heating appliance and as the liquid hydrocarbon enters the heated retort chamber it will be converted 1nto gas and as the needle valve at the forward end of the retort tube is opened by rotating rod 29 so as to withdraw said needle valve 30 from the conical orifice 26, the generated gas will pass through apertures 27 and then discharge through orifice 26 directly into the open end of the goose neck 19. As a result of siphonic action atmospheric air will be drawn into the open end of the goose neck with the jet of gas from the retort tube, and in passing through the goose neck this air and gas are thoroughly mixed and the mixture enters the hollow body 10 and discharges from the slots 14 and combustion takes place directly adjacent to the outer surface of that portion of the body in which said slots are formed. As the operation of the generator and burner continues the heat from the gas under ignition will maintain the tubular retort in heated condition so that all liquid hydrocarbon entering the same will be instantly converted into gas and in such form will discharge from'the orifice 26.

The proper mixture of gas and air that passes through the goose neck is obtained by adjusting the tubular retort 17 toward or away from the open end of the goose neck and after the desired adjustment has been attained the retort is locked to the body of the device by tightening set screw 18. Obviously by moving the retort tube toward the open end of the goose neck less air will be drawn into said goose neck with the jet of gas from orifice 26, and as the end of the retort is drawn away from the open end of the goose neck the amount of air entering said goose neck will be correspondingly increased.

I have found in repeated tests and experiments that the horizontally disposed V- shaped notches l9 produce highly satisfactory results in permitting air to enter the goose neck to mix with the gas discharging from orifice 26 for the gradually decreasing width of said openings automatically con trols the inflow of air by decreasing the volume of the inflow as the jet of gas gradual ly spreads in its travel away from the jet orifice.

The shape of the generator and burner and particularly the straight vertical side wall 11 thereof enables the device to be conveniently located in a fire box or the like and said de- Vice may be arranged and adjusted so as to direct the jets of burning gas that issues from the slots lettoward the wall of an oven ortoward that portion of a heating coil that is disposed within or adjacent to the ire box. In furnaces or large heaters two or more of the gas generators and burners may be arranged in battery form, either back to back or with the slotted curved walls 13 adjacent to each other.

In order to increase the capacity of the generator and burner and to produce superheated gas for use in a household heater or for illuminating purposes a second goose neck member 19' which is practically identical with goose neck 19 is arranged immediately adjacent to goose neck 19 on plate 23 and associated with this second goose neck member is a tubular retort 17 that is identical with tubular retort 17.

This tubular retort l7 lies just above and to one side of the body of the device and the flames issuing from the slots in said body heat the retort, thereby vaporizing the liquid liydrocarbon that enters the same and the vaporized liquid hydrocarbon passes through the goose neck 19 and passes thence into a tube 37 that occupies a position to the side of the burner 10 so that the gas passing through said tube 37 will be superheated by heat from the flames issuing from the slots in the burner body 10.

This superheated gas may be taken through a suitable pipe or duct 38 to various points of use in burners connected with household heaters or illuminating devices. In this construction the retort tube 17 is provided with a needle valve rod 39 that is identical with rod 29, and which rod 39 is provided on its outer end with a handle 40.

If desired, the goose neck 19 may be provided on the side of its lower portion with an outlet for a gas conveying pipe or duct,

and which outlet when not used is closed by a screw plug 41.

In Fig. 7, I have shown the combined generator and burner positioned in the fire box of an ordinary cooking stove and the generator and burner being arranged so as to heat the oven of the stove and where such construction is employed gas conveying pipes such as 42 may lead from one of the tubular retorts to burners such as 43 that are located beneath the stove top openings.

In Fig. 8, I have illustrated my improved burner and generator positioned vertically within the coil C of a standard form of water heater H and where such construction is employed, f prefer to provide gas emission slots 44 in all three walls of the body 10, as illustrated in Fig. 9.

In Fig. 8, I have shown a pipe or duct 45 leading from the goose neck to the burner of a lamp or illuminating device 46.

A very desirable and advantageous feature of my invention is the goose neck which receives the air and gas, the air being admitted in proper proportion to the gas through the horizontally disposed V-shaped notches 19 and as a result of this arrangement the goose neck performs the functions of a carburetor to produce a proper and highly combustible mixture of gas and air, which burns without carbonization upon issuing from the jet slots 14.

Afurther desirable feature of the invention is the arrangementof the needle Valve at the opposite end of the retort from the end in which the liquid hydrocarbon isadmitted, for by such construction carbonization of the liquid hydrocarbon is eliminated and the conical needle valve fitting upon a conical et orifice is self-cleaning and any foreign substance that might accumulate on the needle valve or its seat will be ground off when the rod 29 is rotated to positionthe needle valve on its seat.

The shape and construction of the hollow body 10 and the parts that are formed integral therewith including the goose neck is such that the casting and machining operations may be very easily accomplished- A further very desirable and economical feature of my invention is the construction and arrangement whereby a highly inflammable gas is generated from kerosene, distillate and the like, and which gas may be taken to points remote from the generator and utilized for illuminating or heating purposes. The particular arrangement of the goose neck that extends upwardly from the body 10 and the taking off of illuminating or heating gas from said goose neck or the body 10 entirely eliminates any possibility of the return of any liquid hydrocarbon resulting from condensed gas, back to the retort for if condensation occurs in the pipes or tubes that lead from the body 10 or the goose neck to the illuminating or heating appliances the liquid resulting from such condensation will r turn to the body 10 to be revaporized instead of flowing back into the retort and choking the same.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a combination gas generator, burner and illuminating appliance that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very efiective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved gas generator, burner and illuminating appliance may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a combined gas generator burner and illuminating appliance, the combination with a hollow slotted body and a retort disposed above said body, one end of which retort is provided with a jet opening of a gooseneok secured tothe end of the slotted body and arranged with its open end positioned directly in front of the jet opening in the end of the retort, the wall of the gooseneok directly opposite the opening of the said gooseneok being provided with an opening, a plug normally closing said opening, the end of the hollow slotted body opposite the end from which the gooseneck projects being provided with an opening, a screw plug normally closing said opening, one of the side walls of the slotted body being provided with an opening and a screw plug seated in said opening.

2. In a combined gas generator burner and illuminating appliance, a hollow body provided in its upper portion with a series of transversely disposed slots, a vertically disposed plate formed integral with one end of said hollow body, a gooseneok formed integral with the opposite end of said hollow body, the outer wall of the gooseneok directly opposite the open end of said gooseneck being provided with an opening, a screw plug normally closing said opening, a leg formed integral with and depending from the underside of said gooseneck, a tubular retort disposed above said hollow body in longitudinal alignment with the open end of the gooseneok and there being a discharge opening formed in the end of said retort adjacent to the open end of the gooseneok. V

3. In a combined gas generator burner and illuminating appliance, a hollow body provided in its upper portion with a series of transversely disposed slots, a vertically disposed plate formed integral with one end of said hollow body, a gooseneok formed integral with the opposite end of said hollow body, the outer wall of the gooseneok directly opposite, the open end of said gooseneok being provided with an opening, a screw plug normally closing said opening, a leg formed integral with and depending from the underside of said gooseneck, a plate det-achably applied to the end of the hollow body adjacent to said gooseneck, a tubular retort supported above the hollow slotted body by said last mentioned plate and the integral plate on said hollow body, said retort being disposed in longitudlnal alignment with the open end of the gooseneck and the end of said retort adjacent to the open end of the gooseneok being provided with a discharge opening.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JAMES E. EVANS. 

